June 30, 2012

Well, that would have been a more appropriate plan for the 4th of July, but I really love blueberries and nectarines. It’s my favorite of the ” crisp” desserts. It’s simple. I love blueberries. I love nectarines.I love them together. OK, then it got a little confusing when I ran into something called a Peacharine~ 1/2 peach 1/2 nectarine. How bad could that be? As it happens, they are fantastic! They almost tasted more “peachy” than most of the peaches I’ve had in recent years with a rich vibrant flavor and as juicy as you’d love them to be. So… that was the new plan, substituting the nectarines with peacharines in my Nectarine Blueberry Crisp. This is simple, simple, simple and there will be nothing left but an empty baking dish. Add this to your 4th menu and let me know if you get any complaints other than you needed to have made two.

June 28, 2012

Like a lot of people I’ve been eating less and less red meat and chicken these days. So, then, what’s for lunch? Today I’ve whipped up a substantial salad that is fresh and satisfying and best of all…simple. Starting with a base of Trader Joe’s Brown rice medley ( which includes black barley and daikon radish seeds ) I’ve added red bell pepper, green onion, sugar snap peas and toasted walnuts and dressed it with my “go to” vinaigrette of olive oil and lemon juice with a touch of garlic. While your grains are cooling to room temp you can prep your vegetables and mix up your dressing. The best part of this salad it the texture…C R U N C H Y…from the daikon seeds to the sugar snaps to the celery to the walnuts. OK…now I’m hungry. Is it time to break yet?

June 26, 2012

and waiting to cast on. I liked the result of the yarn and fiber combination of my California Dreamin blanket so much I’m moving on to California Dreamin 2. While the palette on the first was reminiscent of the sandy beaches or the desert, this combination brings to mind a nighttime drive in the hills around Mulholland Drive… hundreds of points of colored light scattered in the charcoal darkness above Los Angeles and the Valley. Berocco Boboli is responsible for the color and two neutral colorways of Remix add to the dry hand with their recycled blend of fiber. Combined with an assortment of espresso browns, charcoals and black…in yarns of linen, merino, silk, cotton and cashmere, this new blanket will possess same the woven appeal of first.

June 23, 2012

it’s a T.V. Come on people…enough already. What’s with hanging the flat panel television over the fireplace? It’s not a painting. It’s ill-placed for comfortable viewing. So what’s the draw? Unless you like sitting in the first row at the movie theatre I can’t imagine you sitting on your sofa, grabbing your remote and focusing your sights on a picture centered 7o” off the floor. Exhibit A…ouch! ( Let’s leave it at the television placement for now.) A better idea is to leave the area above your mantle empty and save yourself a few trips to the chiropractor.

June 20, 2012

Boy, that’s H O T. Sounds like perfect weather for a simple solution…an outdoor shower. What could be more refreshing on a hot summer day than that? More cost-effective and less complicated than a pool, yet plenty of people have those. So, am I the only one who really sees the value in a relaxing shower, in the fresh air…outside? After an afternoon in the yard planting, after a workout or just a long day at work…strip down, go outside, adjust the temperature and….Ahhhhhhhhhhh.

June 17, 2012

summer! Yard cleaned and planted? Check. Furniture pulled out of storage? Check. Grill in working order? Check. Good. Now that all of the outdoor spring chores are done and you have set up the appropriate areas for outdoor dining, entertaining and relaxing take a good look around. Scope it out. Your spot…to read, plan a menu, have a drink or have a nap. We wait for this all winter, now…enjoy.The sights, the sounds, the tastes…summer.

June 13, 2012

While vertical gardening is making a statement in municipalities on both sides of the pond, you might like to try your hand at it at home. Hung on a back fence or interior courtyard or porch wall these succulent filled panels present themselves like a living, breathing work of art. Seurat had his pointillist dots of paint…you’ll have the small green leaves in their various shades of greens, grays and reds to color your creation. Panels can be hung alone or combined for a truly impressive piece as shown. If you get started now you have the entire summer to experience its developement. Who knows…you may take a liking to gardening “up” and decide to tackle an even more ambitious project.